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Story Highlights

A mixed-use development that could include office, retail, residential, entertainment and hotel uses is part of a master plan being finalized for LifeWay Christian Resources' 15-acre downtown Nashville campus.

Thom S. Rainer, chief executive of the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, said that much in announcing a contract to sell the property to Uptown Nashville LLC. Uptown, a consortium of local and national developers formed specifically to develop this property, reportedly includes real estate investor Fred Wehba Jr. of Los Angeles.

The local developers weren't identified. But observers in local real estate circles said GBT Realty Corp., a Brentwood-based commercial real estate developer whose CEO is George Tomlin, also could be involved.

Janet Miller, CEO of brokerage firm Colliers International's Nashville office, which is representing Uptown, called redevelopment of the LifeWay campus one of the largest economic development events in Nashville's recent history. "The project will continue to create jobs and investment in the downtown core, much as LifeWay has done the past 120 years," she said in a statement. "This campus will be a lynch pin in the future development of downtown Nashville and has the potential to become a new gateway to the central business district."

Rainer said Uptown's planned project would involve a modern, forward-thinking design, which architecturally will incorporate historic charm of the existing properties and pay homage to Nashville's roots. It also would be environmentally green, technologically advanced and service oriented, he added.

LifeWay declined to disclose contract terms, including the sales price, pending the closing in a few months. If a sale is finalized, the ministry will lease back a portion of the facilities until a new building is finished.

The nine-building LifeWay campus Uptown has under contract includes more than 1 million square feet of office, warehouse and parking space stretching from Broadway to Church Street and from Ninth Avenue up to the Gulch. That includes the LifeWay Christian Store at Broadway and 10th Avenue North,